ARUN RATH, HOST:
The band Alabama Shakes broke onto the scene from Athens, Ala. in 2012 with this hit.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HOLD ON")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) You've got to hold on.
RATH: Their debut album earned them three Grammy nominations. For album number two, the safe thing to do would be make another record just like that. But they didn't take the safe route.
BRITTANY HOWARD: No, 'cause the safe thing isn't always the most interesting or exciting thing.
RATH: That's Brittany Howard, the powerhouse lead singer and guitarist. I spoke with her and guitarist Heath Fogg about their new album "Sound & Color." The first single is a groove called "Don't Wanna Fight."
HEATH FOGG: I'm really proud of that song because of where it started. And it just started as a really rough, loose, raw jam between the four of us.
RATH: Take us inside that.
FOGG: I think Brittany was just playing the riff on guitar. And then I joined with her on it doing kind of a harmony to it. And then she went on this other little tangent that countered everything we were doing. And everyone just joined in.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T WANNA FIGHT")
HOWARD: And there's like no melody. And it was something that you had to really think about, because there's so many options. But then everything comes at its own time in the right way.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T WANNA FIGHT")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) My life, your life, don't cross them lines. What you like, what I like, why can't we both be right?
HOWARD: I just wanted to write a song that was really for everyone. You know, "Don't Wanna Fight" is not a song between two people in a relationship. It's like - it's kind of the relationship with everybody. I don't want to say why can't we just all get along? But it's just about being tired.
RATH: World is sick of fighting - or it should be.
HOWARD: You'd think we'd get it by now.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T WANNA FIGHT")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) I don't wanna fight no more. I don't wanna fight no more. I don't wanna fight no more. I don't wanna fight no more. I don't wanna fight no more. I don't wanna fight no more.
RATH: It wasn't too long ago that y'all had day jobs. Is this the first time you've had that you've really focused that much time and energy on your music?
FOGG: Yeah, definitely. Before, you know, we would go for a day, maybe two, and back to work until we got enough money to go to the studio again. So it was nice not having a day job and focusing on music.
RATH: This album is - you know, it's recognizable as you as a band, but you've got a newer, powerful sound that you're debuting. "Gemini," that was the first song that was written for this album?
HOWARD: That was the first song that was recorded. On the demo, it's the same structure, but all the instrumentation was done on keyboards, so it's really soft and very Curtis Mayfield vibe. And we started picking out which parts are going to go on which instrument. And then it started to turn into this thing that was like really moody and big and resonant. And I was like whoa, we're onto something really different here. And it was exciting.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GEMINI")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) On a prairie now so far away we were born together. In the beginning, there was just you and me, where we was washed up...
RATH: Were you going for it, or did that sound surprise you when it happened?
HOWARD: I mean, I was surprised; I was like pleasantly surprised. I was like wow, this is great. And they're so plucky and so serious sounding. I was like wow, this is going great so far. Yeah, but I don't think it's anything we had to reach for. It just kind of naturally happened.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GEMINI")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) I see the moon shine in your eye. We were strong as long as we never lived forever, there was no such thing. I looked at you.
RATH: I'm talking with Heath Fogg and Brittany Howard of the band Alabama Shakes. Their new album "Sound & Color" is out on Tuesday. Brittany, one of the things that is so exciting about your singing is that you have all these different timbers you can get out of your voice, these different styles and approaches. And I'm wondering, have you always sung in that way, or is it something that you've kind of cultivated over time?
HOWARD: I've always sung like that. When we used to get together and write songs, it was over a lot of different genres. And it wasn't like we were exercising genres. It was just fun. I like all kinds of music, and nobody ever told me you've got to pick one, so I never did.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MISS YOU")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) I'm going to miss you and your Mickey Mouse tattoo, and you're leaving in your Honda Accord.
HOWARD: On this record, I kind of get to flex all those things that I find interesting about using your voice as an instrument in the first place.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MISS YOU")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) Oh, the many things you do. Well, are they sure? Are they sure that it was even you?
RATH: It's - I've got to think as a writer as well, like, you know, I think of other singers like, you know, Prince, who can sing in a lot of different ways - you can do more characters.
HOWARD: Sure. Sure. Yeah. And it's fun because that means the guys can play almost anything they want to, and I really try to accommodate it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MISS YOU")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) What's been going on? Maybe something I - or maybe I just changed my mind. Baby I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours. I'm yours, I'm yours, yes sir.
RATH: We said like, you know, it's not been that long since you guys had day jobs. Now you're focused on the music. You're getting such a great response from people all over the place. Do you feel like you're living the dream? What's it like?
HOWARD: What is it like?
RATH: (Laughter) Is this what you've always wanted?
HOWARD: I don't know how to answer that.
FOGG: The things we get to do, they've reached beyond my wildest dreams. To think when we were recording "Boys & Girls," we had some pretty simple goals in mind, and we far exceeded those. And I'm just enjoying it, just thankful to get to play music for a living right now.
RATH: Do you remember a point where you felt like this is a serious band, we've got something here that's special?
HOWARD: I know that it's special. I love my band. But I don't think I take it as seriously as everyone probably thinks I should. I mean, it's just for fun. And we've been super fortunate and we've got a lot of great fans. Yeah, I don't feel like I deserve this or I'm entitled to that. You know, I'm just here for the ride, and that's really the way I think about it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SOUND & COLOR")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) A new world hangs outside the window - beautiful and strange.
RATH: That's Heath Fogg and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, here with me in the studio. The new album "Sound & Color" is out on Tuesday. Until then, you can sample every track out our exclusive First Listen. And we'll also be videocasting a First Listen live on April 20. Go to nprmusic.org to check that out. Brittany and Heath, thank you so much. It's been great speaking with you.
FOGG: Oh, thanks.
HOWARD: Oh, thanks a lot.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SOUND & COLOR")
ALABAMA SHAKES: (Singing) Sound and color. Sound and color.
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